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Biobanks for Biomedical Research: Evolution and Future

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Handbook of Bioethical Decisions. Volume I

Part of the book series: Collaborative Bioethics ((CB,volume 2))

Abstract

For more than two decades, in the era of post-genomics and personalized precision medicine, biobanks for biomedical research have successfully fostered the development of basic and translational biomedical research. The expansion of biobanking has brought a wide and intense debate on ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) when using large numbers of human biological samples and associated personal data. All these challenges are relatyed to the fact that these infrastructures allow several future research projects to be carried out along general lines of research, with the use of samples and sensitive information, such as genetic data, which can be shared internationally, and whose specific purpose the donor cannot know at the time of donation. In this chapter, I will address the challenges that have emerged at the different stages of the evolution of biobanks, from biobanks’ governance stage to the sustainability stage, through the harmonization and collaboration networks stage, in order to address the challenges biobanks will deal with in the near future.

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This chapter was funded by ANID Anillo ACT210079.

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  1. Institute of Science and Innovation in Medicine (ICIM), Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile

    Juan Alberto Lecaros

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    Erick Valdés

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    Juan Alberto Lecaros

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Lecaros, J.A. (2023). Biobanks for Biomedical Research: Evolution and Future. In: Valdés, E., Lecaros, J.A. (eds) Handbook of Bioethical Decisions. Volume I. Collaborative Bioethics, vol 2. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29451-8_17

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